The sun., 1887-07-14
DULUTH AND IT'S RC CVANTACES.
Bending Of the City fer Railroad Purposes
Discussed.

Bending Of the City fer Railroad Purposes
Discussed.
EplrOE MuRRIS N:--l}cing aware |
that many of your readers and my |
old friends would like to hear from |
this city, because of their desire for |
more cultial relations in trade and
otherwise and their hope that the
time is not far distant when Duluth
viii be III IL position 10 release them
from the grasp of The Minneapolis
wheat ring, will state through the
columns Of TIE Sun certain things
that are deing done here to connect
US more CLOSELY with the wheat belt
of Western Minnesota and Northern
Dakota.
There are in this, as in all places.
TWO PARTIES, not pol!tical, bat pro-
rreSSiye and anti progre ssiNe parties.
Tie progressive party is III favor OF
bonding the city and county for funds
10 enable Duluth TO establish the
terminii and secure the business Of
the great railroads now centering III
81. Paul AID Minneapolis, notably the
Manitoba ana Northern Pacific SyS-
TENS. The Northern Pacific, of
course. is already here. but its inter-
ests are not rs closely identified with
our city rs its important geographic
cal position demands. The idea ct
progreSsipnlsts is to grant these COM
pauies Lands for terminal use-shops,
etc. The antl-progressionlSts argue
that as the coming of the roads is Il
! matter OF certainty there is no nced
of this and that the gift would be
thrown away. With my limited
I knowledge Of atflirs and shor. resi-
dence in the city am satisfied that
/ the latter are mistaken. and that some
I day i'll the not remote future they
! Will discover that through their short
sightedness and lack of enterprise
they have lost fine opportunities. and
the loss. They will then think lis the
! old fellow did who was watching the
movements of Il Baptist minister en-
gagged ii baptizjng converts by i'm.
mersion in the river on Il certain oc-
casion. He was SO much interested
in the proceedings that he drew very
close to the edge of the ice when the
minister grabbed and ducked him.
rs soon rs he recovered his breath
he asked: "What did You do that
for" "Why," said the minister, II
supposed you were one of the con
verts." "W -we-well, you have made
I the d--Gest mistake of your life. y
1t the present time there are Il
large number of projected railroads
{ through this state, all of which desire
connection with Duluth, and the peo-
pie Of this city are willing to give
them all the assistance and encoHr-
agement possible: which Is all right.
as these roads will prove of great al
vantage 10 Duluth in the future.
Bat their first efforts should be to Sc
cure the roads already constructed
and in full and active operation. The
Manitoba has already penetrated and
! draws from the most fruitful parts Of
! Minnesota and Dakota and could
bring to our city immediate and sub
/ Stantial returns. The Northern Pa
clfic too, with It's immense connec-
tions in the far west, coming dl-
| rectly to Duluth, would shorten the
route and thus make direct shipments
of western cattle and produce to the
markets of the east. These roads, in
my opinion, should receive the first
attention of this city. Our people
should also see that some road should
connect this place with your section
of the state and meet the freight
rates Of the Minneapolis and Pacific,
and thus secure for Duluth the wheat
that naturally belongs here instead of
allowing this latter road to carry 1t
all to Minneapolis.
These things can all be accomplish
ed, no doubt, in time; but at present
Duluth has to fight the combined
"vditn and influence of the SISTER
Cities" l am confident, however,
that with the support of the state at
large, or, at least that part that is
tributary to it, Duluth will be able to
overcome that weighty combination.
Certainly there should be felt a state
pride in securing and maintaining fol
this city, as far as is possible, its
commercial Importance, it being
Minnesota S only real live port, for it
is destined, ere long, to become a
formidable rival of Chicago.
Yours truly,
| ST